It is interesting to study how both “MAGA” and “woke” have, for some, become pejorative labels, often shouted at opponents as “You’re a *&^%# MAGA” or “You’re such a commie woke.” Such vituperative venting and divisive rhetoric would be amusing if either were not expressed with such venom. I say “amusing” because by themselves neither has any intrinsic negativity.

Make America Great Again (MAGA) is, in principle, an expression with which all Americans can agree, as we would all like to see America retain its economic and military preeminence and constitutional guarantees. “Woke,” on the other hand, refers specifically to being awake to social injustices — that Americans should be sensitive to racial, sexual and social inequities. Few would dispute that disparities exist and should be addressed. However, both terms have been politicized to the point where each has taken on murky individualistic ideological and controversial fogs.

Most words have fairly precise or at least acceptable meanings, but some can accumulate an ill-defined nimbus or halo around them whose meanings reverberate emotionally with some users and not others. World War II had their “Krauts,” and the Cold War their Commies and Reds. Now we have the animosities encompassing “MAGA” and “woke.”

As far as we can tell, MAGA refers to whatever Donald Trumps says it is, which makes it a cult of personality rather than a consistent policy agenda. There are, however, a few recurring themes. MAGA-ism is FOR border security, traditional values (ill defined) and for eliminating the federal government (the deep or bloated state). MAGA is AGAINST government by an “elitist” class, national social policies (women’s and bisexual rights, multiculturalism), science, Social Security, national health care, critical history, etc.; also AGAINST a world economy, global organizations such as the U.N., AID, NATO, climate control initiatives, the World Bank or any organization that consumes American wealth and constrains America’s freedom to act. The federal government’s sole responsibilities are to protect American boarders with a large army and to guide international affairs. It is the duty of each state to serve its citizens as they see fit under the Constitution. MAGA members also feel victimized, believe in voter fraud conspiracies, government bloat and are skeptical of mainstream media, science and “replacement” theories. (I wonder how happy they are now that government tax, Social Security and bank records are no longer secure and will take much longer to process. With a compliant and cowed Republican party protecting his actions, only the courts can help.)

Woke originated in the 1930s and referred to someone who was “awake” to social (Black) injustice. It resurfaced with the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s and again after 2010. Since then, its meaning has expanded to incorporate various principles supporting Diversity, Equality and Inclusion. Woke advocates social pluralism, inclusiveness and integrated economic policies and federal governance. And woke tends to support the very things MAGA is against: globalization, a world economy, the U.N., AID, NATO, the World Bank and climate control. It also believes the role of the national government is to serve and protect each citizen equally with national (and state) guidance of health care, SS, education, etc.

Question: In what way does this president “Establish Justice, Tranquility, General Welfare and Liberty”? If we were to examine Trump’s actions since his inauguration, it seems to have little to do with either the preamble to the Constitution, MAGA or woke. His is a tyrannical policy of chaos. That is, he seems to want to break all norms, all government contracts, and all national and international agreements, political and economic. We can only assume that he expects America will arise astride the world, supreme, dominant, phoenix-like out of the darkness and gloom. We can only hope.

Hubbard C. Goodrich is a Harpswell resident.